Improvement in sewing-machines



4 Sheets-Sheet, 2.

W. ESTY. SEWING-MACHINE.

".PETERS. PHOTO-LITHQGEPMER, WASHINGTON. D. Q

` 4Sheets-Sheet 4.

W. ESTY.

' SEWING-MACHINE. No.187,837. Patented Feb. 27, 1877.

Witnesses. Inventor.

N'PIES, PHOTO UTHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ESTY, OF FITGHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO NATHANIEL OORNING, OF NORTH LONDONDERRY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, GEO. W. HOBBS, OF UXBRIDGE, AND DENNISON W. B. JACKSON, OF BOSTON, MASS.

IIVIPROVEMENlI IN SEWING-MACHINES.

Specioation forming part of Letters Patent No. l87,3'7, dated February 27,1877; application filed March 16, 1876.

To all whom @t may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM Es'rY, of Fitchburg, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and uset'ul Improvements in Sewing- Machines, oi' which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specication:

My invention relates to a machine for sewing the soles of boots or shoes to their uppers, and it consists, tirst, in the combination, in a sewing-machine adapted to form a seam by the interlocking of two threads, of a reciprocating barbed needle adapted to be partially rotated about its axis at each extreme of its reciprocation, a whirl or looper mounted in a horn or work-support, and adapted to carry the lower thread around the barbed needle to form a loop, and a reciprocating eye-pointed needle or looper carrying the upper thread and moving horizontally above the material to be sewed, and adapted to carry the upper thread doubled through a loop of the under thread, previously drawn up through the material by the barbed needle, and then remain in a state of rest till the barbed needle descends through the loop of the upper thread and enters the material, and then recede to allow the barbed needle, in drawing up the next loop of the under thread through the material and the loop ofthe upper thread, to draw down and tighten the previously-formed loop ot' the under thread upon the upper thread.

My invention further consists in the use, in combination with a verticelly-reciprocating barbed needle, ot' an eye-pointed looper-needle arranged above the material to be sewed, and adapted to reciprocate horizontally, or nearly so, in a plane perpendicular to the surface ot the material, and parallel to the line otl motion ot the feed-point, and having its shank between its eye and its carrier bent to one side, in such a manner that when thelooper hasmoved horizontally across the path otl the barbed needle toward the feeding device and presser-foot the rear strand ot' the thread carried by thelcoper wilLbe held somedistance away from the side of the looper-needle, leaving a free space for the descent ofthe barbed needle through the loop ot' the upper thread between its rear strand and the bent part of the looper-needle, the front strand ot' the loop of the upper thread being held in a groove formed in the front side ot' the looperneedle, as will be further described.

My invention further consists in the use of a bar arranged parallel to the vertically-reciprocating needle bar or carrier, and in close proximity thereto, provided with a slot, into. which projects a stud or arm attached to said needle-bar, a screw placed below said slot, and adapted to be automatically rotated,to vary the length ot' the slot or the distance between the points of contact of thelirst-named bar with the needle bar or carrier, and thereby increase or diminish the throw of the needle, the first-named bar having a constant reciprocaton of invariable length imparted thereto by means of a crank and connectingrod, and by contact with the stud or arm at! taehed to the needle-bar imparts thereto a re ciprocating motion ot' less length, with a short standstill or dwell at either extreme of its re-V ciprocation, therelative length of the movementof the needle-bar as compared with its operating-bar being determined by the distance between the ends ofthe slot in the operating-bar, or between the points of contact thereof with the stud or arm attached to the needle-bar.

The adjusting-screw is operated by means ot' a pinion mounted thereon, in such a manner that the two must rotate together, While the screw is free. to move endwise through the pinion, a reciprocating toothed bar or rack engaging with said pinion, and a lever connected at one end to said rack,- and at the other with thc presser-foot bar, by which it is operated, all so arranged that any movement of the presser-foot upward or downward, occasioned by variations in the thickness ot' thestock being sewed, shall cause a corresponding variation in the throw of the needle.

My invention further consists in operating the needle` bymeans of a slotted bar acting intermittently thereon, and provided with a screw having a thread of steep pitch, so connected by a pinion, rack. and lever to the presser-foot bar that the resistance to the upward movement ofthe needle, caused by drawing the looped waxed thread through the material, shall, by the pressure ot' the needlebar upon the end of said screw, cause it to rotate, and, acting through the pinion, rack, and lever, cause the presser-foot to be forced downward upon the stock with a force corresponding to the force exerted to draw the needle upward, minus the friction of the parts.

My invention further consists in making the presser-bar ol' a U-shaped form, or in the form of two parallel bars connected at their lower ends, so a-s to form one rigid frame, said bars being mounted in indepemlent bearings one upon either side, and a little in the rear of the needle-bar, and adapted to carry upon one side the presser-foot and the feeding-point, and upon the other side the loopercarrier for manipulating the upper thread, all so arranged that the looper-needle will always bear the same relation to the upper surface of the stock to be sewed, whatever its thickness may be.

My invention further consists in the use of certain mechanical devices for operating the feed-pointand the eye-pointed needle orlooper, which Will be more clearly described and .lest understood in connection with the description of the drawings.

My invention t'urther consists in mounting a horn or work-support, adapted to enter the inside ot' a boot or shoe, and provided with a whirl or loopcr located in its tip, substantially in line with the axis ot' the needle, aml suitable mechanism for imparting thereto an in termittent rotary or oscillating motion upon a stand or frame attached to the main standard by means ot' ways or slides, in such a manner that it may he depressed to place a boot or shoe on the horn, and be raised again and held lirmly in position without the aid of the operator while the sewing is beingl done.

My invention further consists in the combination of a work-supporting` horn, provided with awhirl or looper, and suitable mechanism contained therein for operating said whirl, mounted upon a stand or frame adapted to slide vertically upon suitable ways on the main standard, and a treadlelever for mov ing said sliding frame and the work-sumiorting horn downward, and a counter-weight for movingv the parts upward again after the i'oot of the operator is removed i'rom the treadle.

My invention further consists in the use, in combination with a work-supporting horn, provided with a whirl or looper lnounted in its tip, substantially in line with the axis of' the needle, and suitable shat'ting and gearing for imparting to said whirl a motion about its axis, of a coarse-pitch screw formed on a vertical shaft which passes through the center of the journal or base portion of the horn, and a nut tilted to said screw and to vertical ways parallel to said screw, and adapted to be reciprocated in said ways, and thereby rotate said screw-shaft, first in one direction and thez: in the other.

My invention further consists in the combination ot a coarse-pitch screw-shaft, a nut mounted in vertical Ways, and a cam for imparting to said nut a reciprocating motion, with a period of rest at either extreme of its reciprocation, as will be more fully described.

My invention further consists in the use of a sectional shaft provided with two universal or gimbal joints, and a telescopic connection between thc parts, as a means of communicating motion from a shaft in the rear of the standard, arranged vertically and in a fixed position to a cam on the front ot' the standard, the axis ot' which is at right angles to the axes ot' the rear shaft and the horn, and so connected with the frame in which the horn is mounted that it moves up and down with it, all so arranged that the whirl may be operated equally well in whatever position the horn may be placed as to height.

Figure l ofthe drawings is a plan of a machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a t'ront elevation. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a central vertical section on liuc :u :v on Figs. 1 and 2, with the horn rotated oncquarterot'a revolution t'rom the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a partial section on line y y on Figs. 2 and 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line zz on Fig. 4, looking toward the front ofthe machine. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on line 'u v on Figs. 1 and 4, looking toward the rear of the machine. Fig. 8 is a vertical section on line 2 2 on Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a similar section, representing a modification of the devices for operating the autol matic adjustment ot' the needle by the movement ot' the presser-bar. Fig. l0 is a horizontal section on line 3 on Fig. 9; and Figs. 11 and 12 are, respectively, a sectional plan and an elevation ofthe eye-pointed loopcr-needle.

A is the main standard or column, upon which all the working parts are mounted. B is the driving-pulley, mounted upon a short horizontal shaft, C, having its bearing in the box or stand D, bolted to the rear of the head, as shown, and having secured toits inner end the bevelpiniona,which meshes into the bevelgear b, mounted ou the middle ofthe horizontal shaft c, to the rear end ot' which is secured the bevelgear wheel d, which meshes into the similar gear e, mounted ou the vertical shalt E, to the lower end ot' which is secured the bevel-gear wheelf, which meshes into the gearwheel g, mounted upon the outer end ot' the short shaft F, connected at its inner end by a universal or gim bal joint to one end of a sleeve or tubular shaft, G, into which is fitted the central shalt H, in such a manner that it is free to more endwise therein, but must revolve with thc sleeve, and connected at its outer end by a universal or gimbal joint with the inner end of th'e short horizontal shaft I, which has its bearing in a stand, J, secured to the lower end of the stand or frame K.

The stand K is fitted to a dovetailed slide on the front of the standard A, and has mounted in suitable bearings formed thereon the base of the horn L, with its axis in line with the axis of the barbed needle.

The form of the horn, the arrangement of the whirl or loo-per, and the mechanism contained in the horn are all substantially the same as shown and described in Letters Patent granted to Sylvanus Sawyer and myself February 29, 1876, and, therefore,'need not be further described here. n,

The shaft h, which passes centrally through the base portion of the horn L, projects some distance below the lower end of the horn, and has. an additional bearing in the U-shaped stirrup M, secured to the lower end of the stand K, and has cut thereon acoarse-pitch screw-thread, as shown. N is a nutfitted to said screw, and to parallel grooves formed in the inner faces of the two upright portions of the stirrup M, and having set in its rear side a pin, which carries a truck, i, which ts into the path in the cam 0, which is secured to the short shaft l, as shown in Fig. 4. P is a treadle-lever, pivoted at j to the standard A, and provided atits rear end with the adjustable weight P1, and connected by the link P2 with the stand K, so that the operator, by placing his foot on the front end of the treadle P, can draw the stand K and horn L downward away from the sewing mechanism, for the purpose of taking off or putting on a shoe without disturbing the linear position of the axes of the horn and whirl relative to the axis ofthe needle, and when his foot is removed from the treadle, the weight P1 will cause the parts to assume their proper position for sewing. i

rlhe stand K and the horn L may be held rmly in position, while the sewing is being done, by the set-screw Q; or, instead thereof, a spring-catch may be used to engage with some part of the standard A, and hold the stand K rigidly in position, as shown in Figs. ll and l2, Sheet 4.

R is a crank-disk, secured to the front end of the horizon tal shaft c, and having set therein the crank-pin 7a, which is embraced by the lower end of the connecting-rod l, the upper end of which is pivoted to the upper end of the bar m, which is fitted to bearings in the rear face of the removable frame A'. The bar m is forked at its lower end, and has formed in its upper portion a slot,n, as shown in Fig. 8. The bar m is also provided with a coarsepitch screw, o, fitted to work through a nut formed at the lower end of the slot n, so that the point of said screw projects more or less into the slot, and by its position determines the length of free opening through the bar or the Working length of the slot n. The screw o is splined, and works freely endwise through a pinion, p, which is provided with a suitable feather to t the spline in the screw, and mounted in'a suitable housing in the removable frame A', between the forks of the lower end of the bar m, and engages with teeth formed on the side of a horizontal rack, q, which is connected by a bell-crank lever, r, to one of the prongs of the U-shaped presserbar t, as shown in Fig. 8, in such a manner that when the presser-foot is raised the rack q will move to the right, rotate the pinion p,

land cause the point of the screw o to project farther into the slot n, thereby reducing its length, and when the presser is lowered, the reverse action takes place, and the length of the slot n is increased.

The lengthening and shortening of the slot n has the effect to increase, or diminish the throw of the needle, as the two extremes of the slot n are the points of contact, which, by acting upon the lug u, projecting from the rear of the sleeve w, causes the reciprocatons of the needle-bar al, the motion of the needle-bar being as much less than the motion of the bar m as the vertical length of the slot n exceeds the vertical width of the lug u, the needle always descending to the same point, but the upper extreme of its motion varying according to the position of the presser-foot, which, ofcourse, is controlled by the thickness of the stock being sewed.

The construction, arrangement, and operation of the needle-bar al and sleeve w are substantially as described in the patent to Sawyer and myself, before referred to, the two parts reciprocating together, and the needlebar being rotated in the sleeve by means of the pinion b1 and the rack o', motion being imparted to the rack c' by the lever S and cam T, aided by the spring U.

The presser-bar t is made U shaped. or in the form of two parallel hars, connected together at their lower ends, and mounted in independent bearings in the removable frame A', in the same plane with the bar m, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and has firmly secured to its right-hand lower corner the presser foot d', and near the middle of the righthand prong has pivoted thereto the jointed feed-prong e', as shown in lfig. 2.

Motion is imparted to the feed-point e as follows: A spur-gear wheel,f, is secured to the front end ofthe shaft c, in the rear ofthe crankdisk R, and may be made in one piece with the said crank-disk R, as shown, or separate therefrom. This gearf' meshes into and imparts motion to another spur-gear wheel, g', which has formed ,in one piece with it, or lirmly secured to its front face, a cam, IL', which acts upon a lever, i', secured to the rear end of a short rocker-shaft, j', having its bearing in the frame A', and having secured to its front end the pendent lever k', to the lower end of which is pivoted the link l', the opposite end of which is pivoted to the feed-prong e', as

' shown in Fig. 2. rlhe gear f' also meshes into, and imparts motion to, another spur-gear wheel, m', having a cam, n', formed in one piece therewith, or secured to its front face, which acts upon a lever, o', secured to the rear end of a short rocker-shaft, p', having its bearing in the frame A', and having secured to its front end the pendent lever q', to the lower end of which is pivoted one end of the lilik r', the opposite end of which is pivoted to the middle of the loopercarrier s', pivoted at its upper end to the left-hand prong of the presser-bar t, and carrying at its lower end the eye-pointed and curved looper-needle t.

V is the thread-spool, which supplies the dry thread to the eye -pointed looper needle t', and Wis a similar spool, which carries the lower or waxed thread.

The presser-foot is forced down onto the stock by the leafsprng u bearing upon the upper end of one of the prongs of the presserbar t.

A modification of the devices i'or automatically operating the screw o is shown in Figs. 9 and 10, where a pinion, a2, mounted upon a stud set in the frame A', and meshing into rack-teeth in the outer edge of the left-hand prong of the presser-bar tand similar teeth cut in the upper surface of the rack q, is substituted for the lever r.

The looper t' is made substantially as shown in Figs. 11 and l2, being curved between the thread-eye and the point where it is seized by its carrier, so that the barbed needle may pass by it, between it and one of the strands ofthe loop of thread carried thereby', when the point and thread-eye of the looper t is at the right of the barbed needle.

The operation ot' the parts which directly cooperate to produce the stitch is as follows: Motion being imparted to the driving-pulley, the feed-point and the looper carrying the upper thread move toward each other and the barbed needle b2, the looper continuing its forward movement after the feed-point begins to recede, and till its eye has passed to the right of the barbed needle, when it remains stationary till the barbed needle descends, passing between it and the back strand of the thread carried by the looper, and enters the stock, when the looper recedes to its former position, where it remains till the barbed ncedle completes its downward motion, turns a half-revolution about its axis, so that its barb faces toward the feed-point, seizes the loop of the lower or waxed thread formed by the whirl or rotary looper in the horn, and is drawn up to its former position, taking with it the loop of the lower thread, and turned back a half-revolution, so that its barb faces toward the looper-needle, when the feed-point again moves forward and the looper-needle again advances, carrying the upper or dry thread doubled through the loop ofthe lower or waxed thread, and assuming the same position as before, when the barbed needle descends as before through the loop of the upper thread, the loop .of the waxed thread previously drawn up thereby being released from its barb by the combined action of the barbed needle in its downward motion and the feeding of the stock forward. These motions are continually repeated, each needle carrying a loop of its thread through a loop of the thread carried by the other needle, and when the seam is completed the under or waxed thread is in the form of a series of staples, all connected together on the under side of the material, and the doubled prongs extending through the stock to its upper surface, and there clinched by having their ends enlarged to prevent withdrawal, and the upper or dry thread is passed around each and every loop of the wax-thread, and then is passed doubled through each of said loops above where it passed around, thus fastening the ends of the prongs of the staples of the waxed thread, and by virtue of the doubled thread lying in the bght of the loop of the waxed thread effectually enlarges the point of the loop, and if said enlargement is properly drawn into the stock by a properly-regulated tension, the upper thread may be entirely worn oil' or cut between every two stitches, and the seam will still remain intact.

The operation of the other devices in my improved machine may be readily understood from the foregoing description without further explanation.

What 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. rllhe combination, in a machine for uniting two or more pieces of material by means of two threads, of a reciprocating barbed needle, adapted to pierce the material, and to be partially rotated about its axis at each extreme of its reciprocation, a whirl or looper mounted in a work-support, and adapted to carry the lower thread around the barbed needle to form a loop, and an eye-pointed looper-needle, adapted to be reciprocated horizontally above the material to be sewed,

^ and to carry the upper thread doubled through a loop ofthe under thread, drawn up through the material, and a previously-termed loop of the upper thread, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a vertically-reciprocating barbed needle, adapted to enter the stock from above, the eye-pointed looper-needle t, curved or cut away upon the side toward the barbed needle, and between its eye and its attachment to its carrier, and mechanism, substantially as described, for imparting thereto a reciprocating motion' in the same plane with, but at right angles, or nearly so, to, the barbed needle, as and for the purposes described.

3. In combination with a reciprocating` needle-bar carrying a barbed needle, the bar m, provided with the slot n and the coarsepitch screw o, adapted to be automatically rotated by an upward or downward movement of the presser-bar, the lug u, secured to the needle-bar, and projecting therefro`m into the slot In, and a mechanism, substantially as described, for imparting to the bar m a constant reciprocation of invariable length, as and for the purposes described.

4. In combination with the needle-bar and presser-foot of ay sewing-machine, the coarsepitch-screw o, adapted to be rotated by the pressure of the needle-bar upon its end, the pinion p, and rack q, all arranged and connected together as set forth, and adapted to operate as and for the purposes described.

5. The combination, with the bifurcated or U-shapedpresser-bar t, of the presser-foot d', feed-prong e', secured thereto upon one side of the needle-bar, and the looper-carrier s', secured thereto upon the other side of the needle-bar, all arranged and adapted to operate as and for the purposes described.

6. The combination of the spur-gear wheels f and g', cam h', lever i', rocker-shaft j', lever k', link Z', and jointed feed-prong e', all arranged and adapted to operate substantially as described.

7. The combination of the spur-gear wheels f' and m', cam n', lever o', rocker-shaft 1o', lever q', link r'. and looper-carrier s', all arranged and adapted to operate substantially as described.

S. The combination of the horn or worksupport L, movable stand K, and the standard A, provided with suitable slides to carry said stand K, the several parts being arranged as described, whereby the work-support may be raised or lowered without disturbing the linear position of the tip of the horn relative to the axial line of the needle, as and for the purposes described.

9. The combination of the work-supporting horn, provided with suitable mechanism for forming a loop of the under thread in thel inside of the shoe, the stand K, adapted to be moved vertically upon suitable ways on the main standard, andacounterweighted treadlelever for operating the same, substantially as described.

10. In combination with a work-supporting horn, provided with a whirl or looper, mounted in its tip substantially in line with the axis of the needle, the shaft h, provided with a coarse-pitch screw-thread, as shown, and the nut N, ltted to said screw and to vertical ways parallel to said screw, and adapted to be reciprocated in said ways, and thereby rotate the shaft h, and, through the connecting shafting and gearing contained in the horn, rotate the whirl in the tip of the horn, first in one direction and then in the other, substantially as described.

1l. The combination of the shaft h, provided with a coarse-pitch screw, as shown, the nut N, fitted to parallel ways, and the cam O, adapted t0 impart tothe nut N a reciprocating motion, with a period of rest at either extreme of its reciprocation, substantially as described.

12. In combination with the work-support ing horn ofa sewing-machine, mounted upon a movable stand adapted to be reciprocated vertically, and provided with gearing and shafting to operate a whirl in its tip, and a vertical shaft at some distance from the whirl-operating shaft, two pairs of bevel-gears and a complex shaft, provided with two universal or gimbal joints and a telescopic means of extension, all arranged and adapted to operate as set forth, to impart motion to the whirl in whatever posit-ion vertically the horn may be placed. l

Executed at Boston, Massachusetts, this 29th day of December, 1875.

WILLIAM ESTY.

Witnesses:

C. WARREN BROWN, N. G. LOMBARD. 

